What's in a Name?
by Alisha Winchester Collins
Summary: a tiny drabble on Nate/Parker having a simple conversation about names while she's hanging upside down in an elevator shaft! (Established relationship)


**Hey! This is my first ever fanfic for Leverage, just finished all 5 seasons after a Netflix spree over three weeks? maybe less... lol... and while I love Nate/Sophie as well as Hardison/Parker, I ship all the ships on the show! All of the fics I have planned are Nate/Parker based so I hope you all like it!**

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"Parker Ford." Hanging upside down in the elevator shaft, Parker mused her thoughts aloud.

"Sorry what?" Nate exclaimed in surprise, his eyes wide open back at headquarters, listening to Parker over the comms.

" _Mrs._ Parker Ford?" She said again, contemplating her choices but didn't reply to Nate just yet. "Or maybe Mr. and Mrs. Ford."

"P-Parker... what are you doing?" The first time he heard her, Nate thought that she was simply being Parker, but this second time made him realize what was on her mind.

"Just thinking out loud Nate." Parker finally answered him, smiling to herself, knowing that even though Nate wasn't here, the shock of his voice was still adorable. "Parker Nathan Ford?" She added with a silent laugh, wondering what he was doing back at HQ now.

"Parker..." Nate tried to use his stern voice to remind her that she had a recon mission to complete but he was distracted.

"What? I'm only trying out new names for myself..." This was quite comfortable, just relaxing and having a pleasant conversation with Nate, "You know... in case we ever got married, I would have to take your last name right?" She said to him before he could ask her anything.

Hearing her declaration about... _marriage_... so calmly and while she wasn't even here with him caught Nate by surprise; he may have been flustered but thankfully the rest of his team wasn't around to hear their private talk. Seated at the table with his earpiece, he cleared his throat before speaking again. This topic hadn't really been brought up between him and Parker before... they were together now... had been for almost 2 years, but neither one had mentioned 'marriage' until this very moment.

"Well... umm... you don't need to take my surname if you don't want to Parker." He finally said, knowing that this should be a discussion to have face to face.

"That's true." Parker nodded on her side, before remembering that Nate couldn't see her. "I just thought... well... I've never had a real surname before." She explained, "I've always been Parker; _just_ Parker."

"And there's nothing wrong with being just Parker, it's one of the reasons I fell in love with you." Nate smiled as he understood why Parker was talking about this now.

"One of the reasons?" Parker repeated his words, "And what are the other reasons?" She asked him, her voice taking on a flirty tone now.

"Ah, well... you're gonna have to come home if you want to know the other reasons." He could be flirty as well, but kept that side of him to himself if Eliot, Sophie and Hardison were ever around.

Sighing loud enough for Nate to hear, Parker knew that this was really a talk they needed to have together. Still, she couldn't help but feel a tiny twinge of sadness in that moment; it had to be pushed aside, she and Nate were in a good place and nothing was going to ruin that.

"All right, fine." She answered after a minute, "I'm just waiting for this robot drone to finish scanning the office and I'll be home soon." Parker was determined to make sure that she didn't mess up this relationship she had with him.

"Good. I'll see you soon." Nate said, but didn't end the conversation just then, "If you ask me, no matter what name you go by, I'll still love you the same." He never had a problem reminding her of this fact.

"I know that. I love you, Nate." Parker said in reply, beaming brightly just then and thankful she had a harness to hold onto.

How was it that hearing those 3 words could make her feel giddy with happiness even after all this time together? And wash away all her fears as if they had never been there?

"But... for the record, I personally like how Mrs. Parker Ford sounds." He added, a twinkle in his eyes as he listened to the sound of her voice.

"You know what Nate? That's my favorite too." And that was that; the drone had successfully completed its mission and flew back up into the elevator shaft where Parker grabbed a hold of it, now was the time to go back home.

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 **Reviews anyone?**


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